Blue Sky Dweller
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thread 1/7
"Well, compassion might be good if you're a monk or something, but I manage people and need to be harsh when necessary. Compassion will make me mushy and errors will go unpunished!"

Not so fast, dude. Let's talk compassion, will'ya?
09:44 AM - Jul 06, 2023
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Blue Sky Dweller
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thread 2/7
We tend to think of compassion like being something we "do" for others. Like carrying the bags of the frail, elderly lady next door.

Except it's not. Compassion is a skill we develop for ourselves, first and foremost. We don't go to the gym to carry that lady's bags easier; we do it for ourselves.
09:47 AM - Jul 06, 2023
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Blue Sky Dweller
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thread 3/7
Yes, those bags will feel lighter - it's a nice side effect. But we go to the gym, first and foremost, for ourselves: to get healthier, stronger, whatever.

COMPASSION IS A SKILL THAT BENEFITS US FIRST. AND IT CAN BE DEVELOPED.

Even Dalai Lama says so.
09:49 AM - Jul 06, 2023
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Blue Sky Dweller
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thread 4/7
How does compassion help us? Compassion elicits positive feelings *even in adverse situations*. Instead of pouting, getting angry, anxious or sad, compassion helps keep us afloat so to speak.

It also offers a sense of connection with the world at large - something our brains are so desperate for...
09:51 AM - Jul 06, 2023
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Blue Sky Dweller
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thread 5/7
...it leads us into addictions (like the opioids one) in search for connection.

What advice did we receive when younger?

"Sleep on it"
"The night is the best adviser"
"Don't make decisions when angry, don't make promises when elated"

That is: negative emotions cloud our thinking.
09:54 AM - Jul 06, 2023
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Blue Sky Dweller
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thread 6/7
The cognitive fog of negative emotions is very real: amygdala hyper-activation put the prefrontal cortex (reason) in standby. We can't reason when we most need it.

Compassion chases away that cognitive fog and allows for better, more logical, more reasoned decisions.
09:56 AM - Jul 06, 2023
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Blue Sky Dweller
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thread 7/7
So, my "harsh manager" friend: you don't want compassion, in order to do a better job.

YOU *NEED* COMPASSION TO DO A BETTER JOB.

Go develop it and be happy.

Namaste!
09:57 AM - Jul 06, 2023
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